Investigating non-flint lithic resources management during the Upper Palaeolithic in the Aquitaine Basin using an integrated approach: A Late Solutrean case application (Landry, Dordogne, France)

Resumo

As opposed to areas with a crystalline substratum, the Aquitaine Basin in southwestern France is a territory where flint and chert resources are abundant. The exploitation of those cryptocrystalline, silica materials prevailed in this region throughout prehistory, especially during the Upper Palaeolithic, but other rock types frequently account for a noticeable proportion of the archaeological record. In such context, the choice to rely partly on non-flint lithic materials cannot be seen as an alternative strategy to compensate for an absence of flint. However, poor documentation is currently available for discussing the economic role of these resources.

We take here the example of Landry, an open-air site in the Isle Valley showing a single occupation level providing mobile art and characteristic Late Solutrean (24-23 ka cal. BP) flint productions. This site yielded non-flint lithic remains in considerable number, some of which related to flake production or macro-lithic implements. The documentation of this component was considered essential, both to understand the site in a more comprehensive way and to provide first insights into the economic role of such resources in the Late Solutrean.

In order to explore several phases of the exploitation of non-flint lithic resources (thus leading to a comprehensive documentation of this component), we relied on a set of complementary methodologies classical for lithic analysis but adapted to the peculiarities of non-flint rocks according to recent developments of the field. Determination of raw material lithology and procurement areas was achieved through a petrographic analysis (macro and mesoscopic scales) coupled with a field survey. A technological analysis led to the identification of blank production methods and objectives. An observation of macroscopic use-wear traces coupled with an analysis of techno-functional units allowed a first approach of tool diversity, especially concerning non-manufactured tools. Edged tools were further investigated through a use-wear study (Low and High Power Analyses). Analysis of the planimetric distribution of non-flint lithic artefacts revealed the spatial organisation of related processes and activities.

At Landry, non-flint raw materials relate to a wide petrographic spectrum (quartz-quartzite, dolerite, ignimbrite, etc.) originating from local alluvial deposits. Edged tools result from short flaking production sequences (unmodified flakes) or partial shaping (worked pebbles), while non-manufactured blanks (pebbles, fragments) constitutes a multi-purpose toolkit (percussion, friction, work surfaces, etc.). Blank production or selection occurred on the spot, as the need arose. By comparing these results with available data on the flint component, this study reveals the complementarity between a highly mobile flint toolkit (anticipating future needs) and a local expedient but diversified toolkit (for immediate requirements). This dichotomy goes beyond the flint versus non-flint duality.

Despite some limitations, the approach presented in this paper gives a global and integrated vision of the processes related to non-flint lithic resources exploitation at the site, allowing comparison and combination with other available data (e.g., flint production) and preparing additional analyses.